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Friday, April 16, 2010

The Wave of Violence in Tamaulipas

Not a day goes by that we don't hear of yet another execution in the state of Tamaulipas. There are so many killings, that we have a hard time determining who is doing the killing, one day is the Zetas and then another day is the Gulf cartel (CDG). I have heard that the CDG is trying to exterminate the Zetas because of their brutal tendencies, but the CDG can be equally brutal.

They say it is the sicarios themselves who are killing each other, but the trauma of watching death on a daily basis is taking a toll on all the people here. I have been driving around and I see the fear in the people. Towns that are typically calm are witnessing brutal violence in the state of Tamaulipas.

The fight between rival drug organizations is seen all over the state of Tamaulipas and spreading into the neighbor state of Nuevo Leon.

Reynosa’s official website has not reported any alerts this week, city officials have instead been using the city’s Twitter account to inform people of the places to pay their water bills.

On Friday, the state of Tamaulipas’ website reported four city police officers had been found dead in Altamira in the southern part of the state.
The three neighbor cities of Tampico, Cd. Madero and Altamira, in the southern part of the state share the municipal police.

“It’s been horrible” said a resident of Tampico. “We are all in lockdown.”

The state government reported the officers had been shot and their bodies were in the middle of the street in the downtown area.

The case is being investigated by the Policía Ministerial (state police).

According to Reforma Newsire, two of the police officers were found in the town square across the street from Altamira City Hall. The other two were hung in the street with black bags covering their heads. The first two bodies were found shortly after 5 a.m.

After the discovery, Altamira went unto to a self imposed lockdown and schools were suspended.

On Monday, a police officer was shot and killed in Tampico on the road toward Cd. Valles, San Luis Potosi. On Tuesday, there was a shootout between cartel members in the parking lot of a Walmart.

Cd. Mante, halfway between Tamaulipas capital of Cd. Victoria and Tampico, is not used to the violence, but the body of a man shot to death was found in the road from Mante to Reynosa on Thursday. No more details were given.

Another body was found in downtown San Fernando, half way between Reynosa and Cd. Victoria, then another in the ranch Lucio Blanco of Diaz Ordaz. The authorities did not identify any of the victims.

I will be out for the weekend, I am going to try to find me a corner of refuge from all the violence, unless something urgent comes up I need to report.